Pickled Beets

4-5 beets (2-3 inches in diameter, 1-2 inches of greens and roots still attached)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 whole cloves
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Wrap whole beets in foil and bake at 350 until beets are tender. Let cool. Peel beets and cut into slices or quarters. Set aside.

Place the remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook until mixture clears and is thickened. Add beets to sauce and heat slightly. Cool and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight. 

Marcella's Eggplant Patties with Parsley, Garlic, and Parmesan

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

I must tell you that this recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese (actually parmigiano-reggiano, which is probably why Marcella only uses 3 tablespoons). I'm of the belief that if three tablespoons are good, then how much better could it be with half a cup! I use anywhere from 3 tablespoons to 1/2 cup, depending on my mood and how much Parmesan I have in the fridge.

For 4 to 6 servings

About 2 pounds of eggplant

1/3 cup unflavored bread crumbs, lightly toasted

3 tablespoons parsley chopped very fine

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped very fine

1 egg

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (see note in text above)

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh 

Vegetable oil

Flour, spread on a plate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

When the oven is hot, wash the eggplants, keeping them whole and untrimmed. Place them on the uppermost rack of the oven with a baking pan on the lower rack to collect any dripping. Bake until tender.

Take eggplants from oven, and as soon as they are cool, peel them and cut them into several large pieces. Put the pieces in a colander set over a deep dish. The eggplant should shed most of its liquid, a process that should take about 15 minutes and one which you can encourage by gently squeezing the pieces.

Chop the eggplant flesh very fine and combine it in a bowl with the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, egg, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughtly to obtain a uniform blend of ingredients. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into patties 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.

Pour enough vegetable oil into a frying pan to come 1/2 inch up the sides, and turn on the heat to high. When the oil is hot, coat the patties with the flour, and slip them into the pan. Do not overcrowd. When they have formed a dark crust, turn them and brown the other side. Transfer them to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. Taste to correct for salt. Serve either hot or lukewarm.

Greens Gumbo

 Gumbo Zeb from Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon

This recipe is for a gumbo base that can be used for making any number of different gumbos: chicken, sausage, shrimp, or any combination you can think of. When making shrimp greens gumbo, I would use shrimp stock instead of chicken stock. Experiment with the stocks--chicken, vegetable, seafood--to see which one works best with the kind of gumbo you are making.  Generally, use 4-6 cups of stock to 6 cups of base.

Roux:
Make a dark roux using 1 cup of oil and 1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Drain off any excess oil that has separated out.

Add 1 1/2 cups tomato or V8 vegetable juice. Mixture will be a pale orange paste.

Vegetable Saute:
In a heavy cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat and cook vegetables until softened:
8 tblsp. unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 large onions, chopped
2 green bellpeppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 bunch celery with leaves, chopped
1 large bunch (8-10 large) scallions, chopped

Seasoning Puree: (Don't give up...keep going!)
In the food processor, process the following until the garlic is chopped fine:
8 cloves of peeled garlic
1/4 cup Pickapeppa or Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
6-8 good grinds of fresh black peppercorns

Then add to spices in processor and chop coarsely:
1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes, drained, coarsely chopped (juice reserved separately and added to roux)
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley (leaves and stems, coarsely chopped)

Stock and Greens:
6 cups any well-flavored chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock
2 cups tomato juice or V8 vegetable juice
1 teaspoon salt
4 bay leaves
6 bunches greens, well washed and finely ribboned (more variety, the better--who knows what a bunch is--just use your judgment. Remember greens cook down considerably.)

Bring stock, juice, salt, and bay leaves to boil in large soup pot. Drop in fresh greens, bring back to boil, then turn down heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes.

Assembly:

Add roux mixture to soup pot when greens have finished cooking. Also add the vegetable saute and the seasoning puree. Taste for seasoning. Simmer over lowest possible heat, covered, another 15 minutes. Stir often. Remove from heat and let cool. That's it! Use or freeze at will. 

Butternut Shrimp Bisque

I must tell you where I ate this soup for the first time, and where I eat it every time I visit New Orleans for at least one night--Brigtsen's Restaurant (no, I did not forget the "h"). Frank Brigtsen is a well-known New Orleans chef and was one who served free meals to hundreds of people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His recipe is posted on the Brigtsen's website. Following the recipe at this site will give you his fabulous cream soup.

I must say, however, that I tinkered with his recipe for our Thanksgiving meal. Instead of dicing butternut squash, I baked the squash (cut in half lengthwise, placed cut side down on a baking sheet, and cooked at 350 degrees until tender), scooped out the cooked squash, and mashed it with a pastry blender. I added the squash to the onions and bay leaf, just as the recipe required. The only other change I made was increasing the amount of shrimp stock while reducing the amount of cream used to finish the soup. I wanted a stronger shrimp flavor in the soup, so I added the stock using the "taste and see" method to find the balance I wanted. By the time I finished adding the stock, I only needed a small amount of cream (actually Fat-free Half & Half--whatever that is). In the end, the bisque was delicioso!

I know this wasn't much of a recipe, but it is the best I can do with the changes I made. I think I will try something different the next time I make the soup. I'm thinking about carmelizing the onions and butternut squash in the oven, with olive oil and bay leaf. If it works out well, I'll add the info to this recipe.

Beans & Greens Soup

 

The amazing thing about this soup is that the beans, greens, shallots, and peppers were harvested from my garden and were served in this delicious soup using chicken stock I made myself from chickens I helped raise and butcher. Can't get much fresher or more local than that!

(Measurements are approximate and ingredients are interchangeable, depending on what is growing in your garden.)

2 cups fresh lima beans

1 cup cooked mixed greens (beet, chard, mustard, etc.)

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (or other sweet pepper)

1 cup diced smoked sausage

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients except salt and pepper into pot. Add water as needed. Cook until beans and greens are tender. Add seasoning to taste. Serve over brown rice.

Claire's Cake-Topped Lemon Pudding

This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law.  It was the comfort food she served to her children when they were sick, and it is known in our family only as “Sick Food.”   Of course, it could be make for other occasions as well.

NB:  This is so delicious, you may want to double the recipe.  It disappears fast, serves maybe 2 (with seconds, of course).  

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter (+ amount needed for greasing baking dish)

⅔ cup sugar

2 eggs, separated

  Juice & zest of one large lemon (approx. 3 tablespoons)

⅓ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups milk

Grease an 8x8 square baking dish.

Beat egg whites. Set aside. Mix softened butter with sugar. Mix in each of the following separately: 2 egg yolks; salt and flour; juice and zest; and milk.  Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour mixture into the greased baking dish.

 Water bath:  Place baking dish in a larger baking pan. Fill the larger pan with enough water to reach ½ to 1 inch up the sides.  Bake 45 minutes in a 375º oven.

Momo Ruby's Blackberry Dumplings

Recently I got a call from my nephew, Brad. During the course of the conversation, he requested that I cook a pot of Momo Ruby's Blackberry Dumplings for him. I thought it might be a good idea to post this recipe for all of the family's sons and daughters who would like to know just how Momo Ruby made this wonderful dish. I stood next to her and measured each ingredient as she put it (unmeasured) into the bowl. It's as close as I can get to hers, but its not exactly the same. Her hands were the ones that made it perfectly. Enjoy.

Berries:
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 quarts blackberries

Combine ingredients in heavy pot over medium heat. Stir gently until sugar has melted.

Dumplings:
3 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 c. shortening
approx. 1 cup water

Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives. Stir in enough water to make a biscuit dough (dough should be moist, but not sticky). Pinch off small portions of dough, rolling each into a cylindrical dumpling.

Lay dumplings, individually, gently into the berry mixture. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, periodically basting the dumplings and gently stirring to prevent sticking. Dumplings will become firm when cooked and berry sauce will be thickened.

Charlotte's Puffy Pancakes

My son-in-law Henry has been creating delicious dishes in the kitchen, on camping trips, and at hunting camps since he was a teenager. This is one of his family's traditional recipes, so I've included the name of his mother in its title.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. butter
dash nutmeg
1/2 lemon
powdered sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Beat eggs in large bowl, then combine remaining ingredients, except lemon and powdered sugar. Melt butter in skillet; tilt pan to coat bottom and sides. Pour mixture into skillet. Remove from fire and place skillet into hot oven. Bake 8 minutes. Pancake will puff up over the sides of the skillet. Remove from oven. Drizzle with juice from half a lemon and dust with powdered sugar. Serves four.

Julia's Blender Hollandaise

from  Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck
For about 3/4 cup

3 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
1 to 2 Tb. lemon juice
4 oz. or 1 stick of butter

Place egg yolks, seasons, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in the blender jar. You can beat in more lemon juice when sauce is done. That way, you will know what proportions you like for the next time.

Cut the butter into pieces and heat it to foaming hot in a small saucepan.

Cover the blender jar and blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 seconds. While still blending, start pouring on the hot butter in a thin stream of droplets (use the small opening in the lid for this, or if you don't have a lid with a small opening, you may have to partially cover the top of the jar with a towel so you don't get splashed). By the time 2/3 of the butter has gone in, the sauce will be a thick cream. Omit the milky residue at the bottom of the butter pan. Taste the sauce, and blend in more seasonings if necessary. If the sauce is not used immediately, set the jar in tepid, but not warm, water.

Julia's Bechamel

from  Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck
This is a basic white sauce. It can be used as is,or it can be enhanced with herbs (sauce chivry ) or cheese (sauce mornay). Julia didn't say what you would get if you added herbs and cheese.  

For 2 cups (medium thickness)

2 Tb. butter
3 Tb. flour
2 cups of milk and 1/4 tsp salt heated to the boil in a small saucepan
Salt and white pepper

A heavy-bottomed, 6-cup enameled, stainless steel, lined copper, porcelain, or pyrex saucepan
A wooden spatula or spoon
A wire whip or whisk

In the saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Blend in the flour, and cook slowly, stirring, until the butter and flour froth together for 2 minutes without coloring. This is now a white roux.

Remove roux from heat. As soon as roux has stopped bubbling, pour in all the hot liquid at once. Immediately beat vigorously with a wire whip to blend liquid and roux, gathering in all bits of roux from the inside edges of the pan.

Set saucepan over moderately high heat and stir with the whisk until the sauce comes to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat and beat in salt and pepper to taste. Sauce is now ready for final
flavorings or additions. It may also be used just as it is.

Cajun-Asian Salad

Today I harvested a huge Chinese cabbage from my garden and used it to create a simple salad with a South Louisiana flair. The greens are show-stoppers all by themselves, so the only part of this that would be considered "cooking" is the salad dressing--a really simple recipe that has canned fig syrup as its star ingredient. (Every refrigerator in South Louisiana has an open jar of figs on one of the shelves, or, if you are as lucky as I am, there is a jar completely filled with fig syrup that was left over after all of the summer's figs were canned.)

Salad:

1 Chinese cabbage, leaves thoroughly washed, stacked, and cut into ribbons (remove hard stems before cutting and save stems for a dish like stir-fry)

1 cup toasted pecans

1/2 cup chopped green onions

freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:

2 T. balsamic vinegar

6 T. olive oil

3 T. fig syrup

1 T. Dijon mustard

Seasoning (salt, pepper, your favorite dried or fresh herbs)

Whisk all ingredients together until emulsified. If oil is still separate after whisking, add a little more Dijon mustard and continue whisking until desired consistency is reached.

Rosemary's Cornbread

 Anyone who cooks greens simply must have a good cornbread recipe. This recipe (submitted by Mrs. Dwight Andrus, Jr.) is from my threadbare original edition of the Talk About Good cookbook. I do not know the Rosemary to whom Mrs. Andrus attributed this recipe, but my husband Harvey has an aunt named Rosemary. I think of her every time I make this cornbread, so, in our house, Aunt Rosemary has actually become the referent for this recipe, whether she has ever cooked it or not.

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk

1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder

Mix all dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Add milk, egg, and butter to dry mixture. Beat to blend. Grease 12x8 inch baking pan with cooking oil. (This makes a thin cornbread. I prefer using an 8x8 inch pan for a more cake-like cornbread.Sometimes I use this recipe for cornbread muffins, as well.) Pour corn meal batter into pan and bake about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Red Rooster Cocktail

This easy to prepare cocktail is always a hit at parties or holiday gatherings. Be warned, however, that guests (and hosts) have been known to over-imbibe when these delicious drinks are served. Here is the simple, simple, simple recipe for Red Roosters.

12 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
2-3 cups vodka

Mix. Freeze. Take out 40 to 50 minutes before planning to serve. Let mixture come to a slushy consistency. Serve drinks from a punch bowl or other large bowl. (There should be no need for a spoon.)